Cognac Frapin Cigar Blend XO, Grande Champagne 40%

Description

Cognac Frapin Cigar Blend is a single estate Cognac and is a fuller, richer style.designed to be a great brandy to match with a fine cigar. It is a limited bottling and is bottled as a Grande Champagne Cognac 1er Cru de Cognac.

The Frapin family has been distilling in the Cognac region for 20 generations and their single estate consists of 240 hectares of vineyards in Grande Champagne. Their headquarters is at the stunning Chateau Fontpinot which is set amongst the vineyards in the commune of Segonzac. Grande Champagne is one of 6 sub-regions of Cognac; it is set on chalky soils (similar to those of the Champagne region) and is generally considered to produce the richest, most long-lived cognacs. Frapin practises “L’agriculture raisonnée” which is eco-friendly, resposible farming.  The vineyards are cultivated naturally taking into account elements such as the biology of the vine, parasites, weather conditions, and soil. Natural elements are also restored to the earth by adding pruned branches and distillation residue back to the vineyard.

Each year the harvest is carried out by hand. After the grapes for the Cognac Frapin Cigar Blend are hand harvested, a simple white wine, “Vin de Charente” is produced, primarily from Ugni Blanc grapes. The wine is aged and then distilled twice in 4 traditional copper Charentais stills. Only the heart of the distillation is used as the “heads” and “tails” contain elements which can detract from the quality of the finished product. After distillation the spirit is aged in Limousin oak casks at Frapin’s cellars where they are positioned accordingly either on the lower or upper level to achieve different flavours. The extended ageing that all Frapin’s Cognacs receive sets them apart from their competitors and contributes to the House’s rich, complex and smooth style.

”Exceptional with a cigar, but just as good without”, says Patrice Piveteau, Cellar Master.